INJURED TOURISTS RETURN HOME
Injured tourists return home
By Michael O'Toole
Tragic finale to victims' holiday
THEY should have been flying home laden with gifts and memories of a happy summer in Ireland.
But yesterday, instead of waiting patiently at Dublin Airport for the flight to Madrid, eight Spanish tourists were evacuated from RAF Aldergrove by military air ambulance.
All they brought with them on the emergency flight were memories of watching their friends die, memories of lying in the rubble as rescuers dug frantically to save their lives.
The eight were all injured - some seriously, some only slightly -when they were caught up in the Omagh bomb horror as they visited the town from their holiday base in Buncrana, Co Donegal.
Two of their compatriots weren't so lucky.
Fernando Blasco (12) and supervisor Rocio Abad Ramos (22) were both killed in the blast.
Four other Spanish students were so ill in three hospitals in Northern Ireland that they weren't allowed to fly. Some of the lucky ones able to go home were carried onto the Spanish Air Force aircraft on stretchers; some were helped inside by nursing staff; others limped onto the plane themselves, heads swathed in bandages, arms protected by plaster.
As the seven children and one adult took off by air ambulance, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Alvarez-Cascos - who arrived to be with them on Monday - said they would love to return to Ireland when they had recuperated from their ordeal.
The casualties and their families had earlier spent 15 minutes chatting to the prince of Wales and Secretary of State Mo Mowlam.
Among those they met in the medical centre of the base was Lucrecia Blasco (14), the sister of Fernando, the 12-year-old killed in the bombing.
Their father Manuel was a victim of an ETA bombing in Spain in 1992.
Mr Alvarez-Cascos, the deputy prime minister, said the prince had "connected" with all the children who had been moved from hospitals in Northern Ireland yesterday in preparation for the journey home.
He thanked the prince for his kind gesture in stopping off at the centre after arriving at the base to visit Omagh.
Speaking through interpreter Alberto Aza, Spanish ambassador to the UK, he said: "You know children normally are shy and they were on this occasion not knowing what to expect a prince to be like.
"Prince Charles did very well in connecting with the children by talking about their hobbies."
Mr Alvarez-Cascos said the casualties and their families were looking forward to going home but would not forget the kindness of the people who had cared for them.
He added: "I met relatives yesterday before they had seen their children and I saw them again today after they had been with their children for the whole day.
"This morning they may of course be worried for the children's health at the present moment but they are very optimistic about the outcome.
"They are extremely grateful for the way they have been welcomed and treated and how the children have been taken care of by the health services, staff and local authorities of this country."
By Michael O'Toole
Tragic finale to victims' holiday
THEY should have been flying home laden with gifts and memories of a happy summer in Ireland.
But yesterday, instead of waiting patiently at Dublin Airport for the flight to Madrid, eight Spanish tourists were evacuated from RAF Aldergrove by military air ambulance.
All they brought with them on the emergency flight were memories of watching their friends die, memories of lying in the rubble as rescuers dug frantically to save their lives.
The eight were all injured - some seriously, some only slightly -when they were caught up in the Omagh bomb horror as they visited the town from their holiday base in Buncrana, Co Donegal.
Two of their compatriots weren't so lucky.
Fernando Blasco (12) and supervisor Rocio Abad Ramos (22) were both killed in the blast.
Four other Spanish students were so ill in three hospitals in Northern Ireland that they weren't allowed to fly. Some of the lucky ones able to go home were carried onto the Spanish Air Force aircraft on stretchers; some were helped inside by nursing staff; others limped onto the plane themselves, heads swathed in bandages, arms protected by plaster.
As the seven children and one adult took off by air ambulance, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Alvarez-Cascos - who arrived to be with them on Monday - said they would love to return to Ireland when they had recuperated from their ordeal.
The casualties and their families had earlier spent 15 minutes chatting to the prince of Wales and Secretary of State Mo Mowlam.
Among those they met in the medical centre of the base was Lucrecia Blasco (14), the sister of Fernando, the 12-year-old killed in the bombing.
Their father Manuel was a victim of an ETA bombing in Spain in 1992.
Mr Alvarez-Cascos, the deputy prime minister, said the prince had "connected" with all the children who had been moved from hospitals in Northern Ireland yesterday in preparation for the journey home.
He thanked the prince for his kind gesture in stopping off at the centre after arriving at the base to visit Omagh.
Speaking through interpreter Alberto Aza, Spanish ambassador to the UK, he said: "You know children normally are shy and they were on this occasion not knowing what to expect a prince to be like.
"Prince Charles did very well in connecting with the children by talking about their hobbies."
Mr Alvarez-Cascos said the casualties and their families were looking forward to going home but would not forget the kindness of the people who had cared for them.
He added: "I met relatives yesterday before they had seen their children and I saw them again today after they had been with their children for the whole day.
"This morning they may of course be worried for the children's health at the present moment but they are very optimistic about the outcome.
"They are extremely grateful for the way they have been welcomed and treated and how the children have been taken care of by the health services, staff and local authorities of this country."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0057
Published Date: 19-Aug-98
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